Flavor
by applesandcherries
Summary: If this was what having a sundae resulted in, she would make sure to have one every day. A imagineyourotp prompt fic.


**Title:** Flavor

**Author:** applesandcherries / phoenix-cry

**Rating: **T, I guess.

**Disclaimer:** As always, none of this is mine.

**A/N: **This resulted in a prompt I stumbled upon on the fabulous new tumblr _**imagineyourotp**, _which was: _"Imagine your otp sharing an ice cream sundae and playfully fighting for the cherry." _So how could I not write this? This has not been beta'd, but I hope you enjoy it nevertheless.

* * *

"Et voila," Castle exclaimed, as he set the bowl down on the coffee table in front of her, "the best sundae you will ever have tasted."

Looking up from where she had been engrossed in her book, cuddled under a soft blanket on the couch, she couldn't resist teasing him a little. "Not full of yourself at all, are you Castle?"

"You just wait, Miss Beckett. You will be begging me to give you more once you've had your first taste."

"I'm pretty sure it was you doing the begging last night, Ricky."

"Oh, if that's how you wanna play, fine. But only _after_ we've eaten this. It's too good to let go to waste."

"We'll see about that."

Instead of answering verbally, he just held out a spoon for her and looked at her with what he hoped was an imploring stare.

Not one to back down from a challenge, she took the spoon from him hesitantly, and glanced at the bowl of ice cream suspiciously. "Do I even wanna know what combinations, which honestly should never be combined in the first place, you've put in there?"

"No. Now eat."

Sighing heavily, she dug the spoon through layers upon layers of whipped cream, minding the solitary cherry which was proudly propped upon the mountain of white and started to wonder if there was even any ice cream under all of this at all. Finally meeting some resistance in her descend, she scooped some ice cream onto the spoon and brought it towards her mouth, not daring to look at what she was about to eat. She wouldn't put it passed him to have mixed in some truly disgusting things, like banana in combination with tuna. Kate still vividly remembered the s'morelette incident from a couple of weeks ago, Alexis' cry of warning having come just a few moments too late.

But then the taste of peppermint, chocolate and – was that a fresh strawberry? - exploded on her tongue, Kate leaned back and relaxed, sighing happily.

Swallowing her first bite, she met her partner's expectant eyes. "Alright, I admit it. This is really good. So far."

He fist-pumped the air in victory. "I knew you'd like it!" He gloated, ignoring her last remark. "Now scoot over, I want some of the goodness, too."

Kate did as she was told, welcoming his warmth where it seeped into her side. Only he would want to eat an ice cream sundae in the middle of winter, but she wasn't complaining as long as he would want to share it with her.

They finished the ice cream together, amidst comfortable silence and the occasional banter – and no disgusting surprises for Kate.

When they were done, only the solitary cherry remained. As if on cue, two pairs of eyes rose to seek out the other, a silent battle raging between them. They froze for a second, before simultaneously moving to snatch up the cherry for themselves.

Kate's quicker reflexes won out and she met his eyes again, smirking at him, as she slowly brought the fruit to her lips. Giving it a quick lick with her tongue, in order to rid it of the remaining whipped cream, she cherished the flavor and the way his eyes darkened at the sight.

"By my estimation, it's _after_ now," she breathed.

"Yes. Yes, I believe you are correct in that estimation, Detective." The husky timbre of his voice sent goosebumps down her spine.

"Glad you agree," Kate whispered, and popped the cherry into the waiting heat of her mouth, before leaning in to share it with him.

For once she didn't mind that she hadn't marked her place in the book,when he discarded it hurriedly on the floor, a few minutes later.

She also didn't mind when the warmth of the blanket was replaced by the heat of his body, slowly but surely evaporating the chill the ice cream had left behind in her body.

If this was what having a sundae resulted in, she would make sure to have one every day.

They could just work off the calories together.

_~fin_


End file.
